RE:MCA Ideas

I am pleased to hear you are pogressing with electronic payments, that is a step forward for distant members to pay for subscriptions and buy merchandise, so hopefully next you will be converting part of your trailer into a "Mobile Massey Collectors Shop" , it would make a good back drop to the Massey tent at a show, where you could get Ony selling MCA wares and serving up cream teas to members, she would be excellent sales person, you could even sleep onsite then Gary!!!

Thank you for thinking of my business interests but rest assured you would not want me just a few miles down the road, your life would never be the same, the list of jobs for you on "the to do list" would mean you would never get anything done for yourself, a great thought but sorry to disapoint you.

All the Best and look forward to seeing the Mobile Massey Shop with strawberries and Jersey cream in Baraboo.

RE:MCA Ideas

I have been absolutely astonished at the number ov views that my MAGNETO thread has received. Almost 19,000 as of this morning!!!!!!!!!!! It's quite unreal.

But I ask myself why such a response?

Possible answers:
1. A lot of pent up frustrations out there about magnetos
2. A lot of non MCA members viewing, including non M-H enthusiasts

If a majority of the viewers are non MCA then we are losing out on potentially a large number of replies which is disadvantaging the whole vintage tractor movement - someone, somewher could have vital clues to our problems.

So can we possibly find a way to allow non MCA members to respond and so enhance our reception of potentially a large number of diverse comments which could be of value to us all??

RE:MCA Ideas

Looking back I am amazed that it was last May when I started this thread. I am wondering if the managment have yet considered any of the ideas posted here and the outcomes?

The same pattern continues with the web site. Lots of viewings of some threads and clearly many, many are by non MCA members. I stress again that we are clearly missing out on input from these non-members that would be valuable to our membership.

Today it occured to me that one way round this might be to have a low cost "associate membership" which only allowed the "assciate" to post replies or initiate new threads. Pulling a number out of my head this might be 5 $ per person per year payable either in cash or maybe an automatic payment facility could be established on the site. I stress that this "associate" would categorically not be granted any other of the priveleges and facilities of the MCA.

Worth a thought I hope and would welcome others, particularly the board and MCA officers to come in on the discussion. The other advantages would be that it would generate income to support the MCA web site and we might get a wider participatory audience thanthe present mostly American one - how sad that we get nothing from Australia and almost nothing from Canada

RE:MCA Ideas

RE:MCA Ideas

Hi John,

Thanks again for bringing ideas to the forefront and trying to make the web site more enticing.

Although I am not on the Board nor am I an Officer I would like to make some observations:

#1 We currently have 120 registered members on the web site. If you look at the contributors, most are just lurking and not sharing their thoughts ideas and experiences. Those 120 only represent about 8% of the total MCA membership so there is plenty of room for others to get involved and participate. So how do we get them engaged and participating? Here is another interesting observation: since the site has been up we only have had 3 requests from non MCA members to have access to the site. One joined MCA and 2 did not.

#2 MCA finally has an account with PayPal (I know – I said we would be doing this last May!) We are currently working on what the transaction fees are and how we might recoup those costs. We hope to have Board approval at the Spring Meeting and launch PayPal payments soon after. This will allow for membership payments, memorabilia purchases and other ways to pay for things.

#3 Because of #2, and because we now have a handle on how web site registrations can work, I could see MCA establishing an associate membership, like you mentioned, for those wanting access to the web site. (See the last sentence in #1) With PayPal and the new safeguards in the system, I think it might be a possibility. Before, the system was open and anyone could come in and trash the web site – and they did!! With the registration system we have in place, we would at least be able to see who is trying to destroy the site and take corrective action. Hopefully, Joe and JoJo and weigh in on this part.

#4 So how do we get more people viewing and participating in the web site? It is obvious we have people looking but not reacting. I know every person out there has a story they can share. I have written an article for this next Clipper encouraging folks to use the web site. It will be interesting to see if it has any impact. That is why I encouraged you to write a short Clipper article about your 12-20/grandfather story and Malcolm about his tractor trailer system. If people could see what is being posted on the web site maybe they would join in. I know – it is the chicken/egg situation: “If they would view it on the web site, then I would not have to write and print another article; if I write an article for the Clippe,r then there is no need for the web site.” So how do we break this crazy circle?

Enough of my bantering!!

We need to hear from everyone!! If you have issues or ideas for the web site committee to address or you have issues and ideas for the Board to address, let us know. We will make sure they are delivered to the appropriate decision-makers!!

RE:MCA Ideas

Well, my Dad once said "if you don't have something worthwhile to say, just keep quiet". As I lurk here on the website as you say, I watch for things I might reply too. If I don't have any old 25's or 12-20's, I just read and let it all sink in. I also don't have any old Massey stoves or feed carts or wrenches, so I just keep still and lurk. Many folks only check in monthly if that. I will vote against Paypal at the spring meeting as that is a real rip of outfit from my dealings with them. Of course my thoughts in the past have been taken very lightly as I don't have the vast collection of Masseys that those who rule do. I do love this group and will continue to function, however, there is class distinction within our group. Hope I haven't pizzed too many folks with my thoughts. Afterall, I dealt with John Deere "nose in the air' folks for many years.

RE:MCA Ideas

Jerry - I would agree with you that some of the more recent topics on here are more of the "rare" or "older" variety. I prefer the push buttons myself. But it is always great to lurk and learn.

You mention class distinction. I suppose depending on the interpretation of that comment that would exist in any society, club, organization, Junior high school, etc. I still believe that "Massey's collect the nicest people" and always find individuals welcoming for conversations, stories, and knowledge.

I am sorry to hear you think your thoughts are taken lightly. I am sure the MCA doesn't award one vote per tractor you own or give extra credit for those with vast collections. I only have the one rusty broken MH22 from my avatar picture. I don't want to start an organization debate because that is not my intent. So....

What topics would you like to know more about? What posts can you start? Do you have any stories to add about your tractors? Start a new thread with a new project of your own so the rest of the folks can watch the progress and add their two cents and non-sense.

RE:MCA Ideas

Jerry,

I am have never come across elitism in the MH or Ferguson circles in which I circulate in UK and N America and I am very pleased about that attitude in these fraternities. I have not noted it with either large or small collectors I have however come across occasional spats of jealousy and find it with both small and large collectors. That's very sad but not uncommon in many walks of life.

I hope that you will reconsider voting against a pay pal arrangement as it would be most convenient for us ouside the US and I am sure many within the US. For what it costs us in pay pal charges we would more than save it in postage and currency exchange charges. I am sure that the choice of paying cash or pay pal will be available.

RE:MCA Ideas

As far as I am concerned PayPal makes sense especially for members outside the USA. Much easier to be able to pay subs.Also if the Club starts to sell merchandise it would be far easier to be able to pay for the goods. I am sure sales would be higher if the Pay Pal system was adopted
Alan

RE:MCA Ideas

As originally said by Don Snyder back in 1997 "Massey does collect the nicest people" and that continues to this day as previously detailed on this thread.
We must also be aware that times and circumstances are constantly changing and will continue to do so with the evolution of time and technology, if the board of MCA decide their forward vision for this great group of like minded worldwide collectors is to "stand still, keep quiet and watch" then I am affraid MCA will quietly and gradually slip away and be lost in time.
Please think seriously and act wisely for the benefit of future generations of Massey Collectors, online viewing with Paypal or other safe internet payment systems is the way forward, many youngsters now do not read magazines, pay by cash or even know how to write a cheque and they are the collectors of tomorrow and the ones we need to encourage to look after our collections when we are gone, if we don't encourage them what future has our collections got????????????????